As an Athlete, you have to remain cool while under pressure. An athlete's job not only requires them to keep their cool under pressure but to perform at their best as well. Unfortunately, anxiety can often take over when athletes are competing, especially when the stakes are high. However, early studies have shown that CBD may be beneficial for reducing this anxiety.Findings from a 2020 study showed that CBD may have anti-anxiety effects.

When we consume CBD for game day stress we have a psychological system that interacts directly with CBD, this psychological system also happens to be an important system that deals directly with how we respond to things like stress, anxiety and fear. This system is known as the endocannabinoid system or the ECS. All mammals have an ECS which is made up of cell receptors known as CB1 and CB2, it also contains endocannabinoids anandamide, 2-AG, enzymes and cells which do all the transporting of these compounds. I know! It's so confusing!

Stick with us, it will all make sense!  When we consume CBD it directly interacts with mentioned receptors and communication channels within the ECS. CBD stimulates the ECS in a positive way and that positive way is what helps reduce anxiety and stress. The ECS can become dysregulated when the body feels under stress, when we take CBD it helps re-balance our ECS by stopping our CB1 receptors from becoming overstimulated and by increasing the natural endocannabinoids we already possess.

Many athletes who deal with performance anxiety are usually affected by the psychological effects and there is nothing actually wrong with their body, but when anxiety affects your psyche your fight or flight reaction kicks in and this is when certain symptoms such as increased heart rate, nausea and tremors  kick in. Here enters CBD for game day stress. Our body produces natural cannabinoids which is the main component we get when we consume CBD. Our endocannabinoid system (ECS) helps regulate functions in our body such as sleep, mood, appetite and memory. When we stimulate our ECS it can trigger anxiety, but when we consume CBD it indirectly stimulates our ECS affecting things like our GABA receptors which manage the communication between our brain cells, helping increase or decrease the firing of neurons in our brain. When we decrease neuron firing, our GABA provides a sedative effect, CBD is able to work with our GABA receptors which naturally increases the calming effect GABA provides to our body.

CBD has also shown to work with our brain to produce higher levels of serotonin which helps produce better moods, reduces stress and overall calms anxiety. When CBD activates the 5-HT1a receptors it increases the activity and presence of serotonin neurotransmitters in our brains, which brings forward positive effects in our brain. Pharmaceutical medications like Prozac and Zoloft which are used for dealing with anxiety and depression increase 5-HT1a levels over time to help manage symptoms for the long term, but they contain a long list of negative side-effects. CBD for game day stress performs the same duties as these pharmaceuticals but is in no means harmful for the rest of your body and does not have any side effects.